Major development planned near The Ranch in Loveland

Shopping, theater, apartments, ice-pool center in the works for 2018

This rendering shows a view of the Brands at the Ranch, a mixed-use development proposed for 90 acres just south of The Ranch in northeast Loveland. (Special to the Reporter-Herald)

LOVELAND -- A development that would bring shopping, a 12-screen movie theater, 825 apartments, two hotels, an Olympic pool, three ice rinks and two themed restaurant attractions is headed to property in Loveland just south of The Ranch, its developer said Tuesday.

Martin Lind's Water Valley Land Co. owns the 90 acres within city limits north of Crossroads Boulevard between Interstate 25 and Fairgrounds Avenue where the Brands at the Ranch would be built over the next 2 ½ years, Lind said Tuesday.

The rebranding of the area, formerly known as Eagle Crossing, became official this week at the International Council of Shopping Centers convention in Las Vegas, where Lind introduced the development at the Water Valley booth.

Much of the $500 million, multifaceted development could be built at the same time, Lind said, with construction starting in the first quarter of 2017 and a grand opening of the shopping center possible in the fall of 2018.

"I see a pretty significant first phase because the projects are being recognized as the right place at the right time," he said. "We're having pretty good success with tenant sign-ups and interest."

So far, the developer has announced three restaurants and the movie theater.

Zi Imperial Kitchen, Winter Wonderland

Steve Schussler, developer of the Rainforest Cafe and T-REX Cafe concepts, will design two of the restaurant "attractions" at Brands at the Ranch, according to Dave Claflin, spokesman for Water Valley.

"He's just an idea machine," Claflin said of Schussler.

One will be Zi Imperial Kitchen, which will serve Chinese, Japanese, Thai and Korean fusion cuisine in a setting "inspired by the Great Qing Empire (1644-1912), which was the height of Imperial Chinese influence," according to Schussler's website.

The other restaurant will be a Winter Wonderland, which "brings the magic of winter to any climate, warm or cold," the website says. Featuring winter and Christmas decor year-round, the attraction will include indoor sleigh rides, snowball fights and comfort food.

The site plan for the Brands at the Ranch mixed-use development, released Tuesday, shows its proposed location in northeast Loveland. On the north end is Arena Circle, which loops around The Ranch, the southern boundary is Crossroads Boulevard, and Interstate 25 and Fairgrounds Avenue form the western and eastern borders. (Special to the Reporter-Herald)

The third restaurant announced Tuesday will be a Tucanos Brazilian Grill, which serves skewer-grilled meat and vegetables and fresh salads. The chain has 10 locations nationwide, including one in Colorado Springs.

The 12-screen luxury IMAX movie theater will be owned by Galaxy Theatres.

Upscale open-air shopping

The retail element, covering 425,000 square feet, will be developed with the assistance of Stellar Development of Overland Park, Kan., Claflin said.

"It will be upscale, lifestyle shopping with first-to-market, unique retailers," he said. "It will be open-air and have a pedestrian-friendly atmosphere with a large central plaza."

According to Claflin and Lind, Brands at the Ranch also will feature:

• A 300-room full-service hotel.

• A 110-room hotel.

• 825 units of luxury apartments.

• A facility with three ice rinks and an Olympic-size, 50-meter swimming pool and warming pool.

Lind said his company is designing the ice center and natatorium to fit into the development, but he doesn't yet have a developer for the recreation and training center.

"It's probably going to be recognized as the best in the nation for this type of facility," he said. "People who have seen (the plan) say it's world-class."

Lind said the ice and pool center will foster "youth sports tourism."

"We know factually that the demand is there for the time in the water and the time on the ice," he said.

Possible city incentives

Lind said his company has been negotiating with the city of Loveland on the possibility of incentives to help develop the project. More than a year ago, the Loveland City Council approved a metropolitan district for the area to pay for public improvements through a property tax levy.

The site already has the appropriate zoning, he said, and will need to go through the standard city site planning and platting processes.

In an email to City Council members Tuesday afternoon, city manager Bill Cahill also said that city incentives were a possibility.

“Staff will work on an item with Martin Lind's team to bring to council for consideration,” he said.

Loveland mayor Cecil Gutierrez said he's excited about the possibilities the project creates.

"We always welcome new businesses and great retail. We're always ready to work with a developer when they're ready to move forward on projects," he said.

Gutierrez also was enthusiastic about Schussler's restaurant concepts.

"I have seen Steve Schussler's restaurants," he said. "The concepts are terrific. They're very unique."

Although Lind wouldn't say how much sales tax revenue he expects the project to generate when it's fully open, he said, "I think this is really going to help the sales tax collection."

"Loveland's not had much success of late," he said, in reference to Costco's decision to build in Timnath and Scheels' to locate in Johnstown.

Gutierrez said the city always welcomes retail sales tax revenue.

"Better than 80 percent of our general-fund budget comes from sales tax," he said. "We always have to take a look at that — how do we maintain our share of the market. ... It's a competition, it really is, for that sales tax dollar."

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